


6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-10
Updated: 2008-07-10
Packaged: 2019-05-15 04:07:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 19,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14783309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: This is the second installment in the 6 Minutes of Celebration series.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: This picks up directly where 6 Minutes of Celebration left off.  


* * *

“So, we have a lot to discuss this morning, Joshua.” Donna announced emerging from the hotel bathroom and running a towel over her wet hair. It was the morning after the convention. Josh was stretched across the hotel bed next to Ella, who was totally enthralled with a bright, colorful, bug gym that Donna had brought along, along with a huge heap of other baby crap, as Josh liked to call it, in the corner of the room. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, you’ve done a lot of traveling recently, and now that you got the nomination, you’ll be doing a lot more.” Donna noted. 

“Not as much as before.” Josh replied. “I’m the campaign manager. I’ll be in Washington a lot.” 

“You were the campaign manager during the primaries and you were hardly ever home.” 

“Well, yeah.” Josh agreed. “We were scrappy then. Now, we’ve got DNC funding and a big ol’ jet liner and a huge staff. I’ll have to travel, but not as much as I did before.” 

“But a lot nonetheless.” 

“Yes.” Josh sighed. “What’s this about? We’ve talked about this already.” 

“Well,” Donna hedged. “the lease on the apartment is up next month.” 

“Yeah.” 

“And we either have to sign on for another year or not.” 

“Yeah. That’s usually the way they work.” 

“Well, what if we don’t sign on for another year?” 

“If we don’t sign on for another year, we’ll be homeless.” 

“Not if we buy a house.” Donna said nervously. 

“I’m sorry, baby. I think I’m a little tired this morning.” Josh said after a beat. “It sounded like you said you wanted to buy a house.” 

“No, you’re your astute self.” 

“You want to buy a house while I’m on a presidential campaign?” Josh asked incredulously. “While I’m running around to the four corners of the country, operating on no sleep and crappy food, dealing now with DNC pain in the asses, and battling Arnold Vinnick, who’s polling so far ahead he’s practically taking the oath of office, you want to go house hunting and move?” 

“Yes?” she replied. 

“That was a question or your mind is made up?” 

“Can I at least give you my argument?” 

“You’re killing me over here, baby.” Josh said flopping back on the bed. She crawled on top of him and perched on his thighs. 

“We’ve outgrown that place, Josh.” Donna explained. “We need something bigger. And if we win, and you’re the chief of staff, there’s going to be secret service coming and going. Secret service, doing secret service stuff around our daughter.” 

“Secret service stuff?” Josh replied. “You do realize they’re not going to set up a command post in the den, right?” 

“Joshua!” Donna huffed. “There will be secret service coming and going in a house with a toddler. That’s going to be disturbing Ella’s routine. There’s going to be White House staff coming and going. I want her to be in a part of a house where she won’t be disturbed by all the new activity. Plus, we’re in a two-bedroom apartment. I want something with an office for you. Don’t be thinking the post-baby rules are going to change if you’re chief of staff. So, you’ll need someplace to work when you’re home.” 

Josh sighed and looked up at her. Oh shit, it was the face again. That pleading face she gave him that made him cave and let her work for Russell. That pleading face she gives him that makes him do anything. It was her this-is-important-to-me face. He used to think it was her guilting him face, her you-have-to-do-this-because-you-just-killed-my-hamster-face. But he’d come to realize that that wasn’t what it actually meant. It meant something *far* worse than that. 

“What are my responsibilities here?” Josh asked giving in. “I’m a man with limited free time now, and I’d like that free time spent with my wife and daughter.” 

“You have to help me pick some place out.” 

“That’s it?” 

“Well, you’ll have to sign stuff.” 

“You need to talk to my mother about this.” Josh said. “You have no job, and you said last night you were going to take some time off.” 

“Okay, and?” she asked not following. 

“She needs to access a trust then.” Josh explained. 

“Are you sure?” she asked. She knew these mysterious trust funds that his father had set up for him existed, but she never really knew just how much money was in them. An accountant did his taxes every year. She never really asked about them because he never really mentioned them. When Ella was born, he said he was going to convert one over to Ella’s name, but he never told her how much that was going to be. 

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Josh replied. “This was the type of thing my father had in mind when he set them up.” 

“So, we’ll do it?” she smiled down at him. 

“Yes, we’ll do it.” 

She squealed in victory and dropped down onto his chest, as he wrapped his arms around her. “Do not go overboard, Donna.” he warned, but he doubted she heard him as she was plying his neck and face with kisses. 

********* 

Josh entered the top floor suite of the hotel that the DNC had commandeered for breakfast and scanned the room. He found his wife in the corner engaged in what looked like a very animated conversation with Helen Santos. Next to her, sat Leo with Ella perched on his knee. Josh smiled as he saw that Leo was making ridiculous faces at her while she squealed in amusement. He walked across the room and planted a kiss on Donna’s head, then moved to the buffet table, shocking Helen into silence in the middle of her sentence. 

“Wait a minute.” Helen said looking back to Donna. “You said you were still here because your husband is here.” 

“Yes.” Donna said. 

“Your husband is Josh?” Helen asked. 

“Yes.” 

“You married Josh?” Helen questioned incredulously. 

“Quite some time ago.” Donna confirmed. 

“Our Josh?” 

“My Josh.” Donna replied. 

“Josh,” Helen said looking up at Josh in disbelief. “this beautiful, sweet, funny, intelligent woman is your wife?” 

“Yes.” Josh said smiling. 

“You have a wife?” she asked again. 

“Yes.” 

“And this beautiful little girl is yours?” 

“Yes.” 

“I don’t understand.” Helen said turning back to Donna. “Did he knock you out and drug you?” 

“All right, Helen.” laughed Matt. “Leave poor Josh alone.” 

“I’m just surprised!” Helen joked. “Josh doesn’t smile, and now he shows up here with a beautiful family!” 

“I smile all the time!” Josh exclaimed indignantly. 

“Helen,” Leo said, “we’ll have a lot of time on the campaign to get to know each other, and I promise you I will endeavor to do my best to explain to you the wackiness, and not at all mildly confusing relationship of these two. It’s many hours of entertainment, believe me.” 

“Hey!” Josh and Donna chorused to Leo. 

“It is.” Leo shrugged. 

“All right, let’s break it up.” Matt said. “Josh has to go back to Washington and find us a bigger staff.” 

“A much bigger staff.” Josh confirmed. 

“And apparently, now a house.” Helen chimed. 

“How much did you two talk about in the half hour you’ve been down here?”Josh demanded of Donna. 

“Just enough to get a Sisterhood going, Josh.” Helen smiled mischievously. 

TBC


	2. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

“Okay, Josh, Ginger and I already weeded out the houses that I didn’t like. So, the six we’re looking at today – “ 

“Six!” 

“- the six we’re looking at today,” Donna continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “are ones that I did like, and I want your opinion on.” 

“Six houses!” Josh repeated. “Baby, six houses is going to take all day.” 

“No, it’s going to take all morning, Josh.” Donna corrected. 

“I’m supposed to be hiring people today.” Josh reminded. 

“I’ve already talked to Ronna, you’re doing that this afternoon.” she explained. 

“You talked to Ronna?” 

“Yeah.” 

“When?” 

“Yesterday.” 

“Don’t be getting too attached to Ronna, baby.” Josh warned. 

“Why? Aren’t you keeping her on?” Donna asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Isn’t she acting as your assistant?” 

“Yes.” 

“But I can’t get to know her?” 

“No.” 

“Why?” 

“I don’t want you two talking about me and comparing notes and stuff.” 

“Oh come on, Joshua, don’t be such a baby.” Donna groaned. “Besides, I was your assistant for seven years, what’s Ronna possibly going to say to me?” 

“Fair point.” Josh conceded. “Then you don’t say anything to her. It’d be nice to have a professional assistant finally.” 

“What the hell does that mean?” 

“One that listens to me, doesn’t give me shit, and, you know, doesn’t fall in love with me.” 

“I don’t think you have to worry about Ronna falling in love with you, baby.” Donna laughed. 

“Why the hell not? You did.” 

“Josh, has it totally escaped your notice that Ronna is a lesbian?” 

“Ronna’s a lesbian?” Josh asked, with his eyes bugging out of his head. 

“Yes!” Donna said. “Why do you think I’ve found her so acceptable?” 

“Ronna’s a lesbian?” he repeated. 

“Yes.” 

“That’s awesome.” 

“Joshua! Back to the house thing, please.” 

“No, I’m still on the my assistant’s a lesbian thing.” 

“Josh!” 

“I got to call Sam...” Josh said pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, which Donna immediately ripped out of his hand. 

“Can we do this, please?” she demanded. 

“Fine, six houses, then I go back to the office and my lesbian assistant to do stuff that I can’t remember what it was because my mind’s taken up by the fact that Ronna’s a lesbian.” 

“Baby, you really have to get past that now.” 

********* 

“Baby, my tie!” Josh shouted from the bedroom as Donna walked around the kitchen making sure everything was set for his mother. 

“Okay, Anna,” Donna said. “Baby food and formula’s on the table, bottled water’s in the fridge...” 

“It’s not the first time I’ve done this, honey.” Anna smiled sweetly to her daughter-in-law. 

“DONNA!” 

“I know, but he’s making me nuts today!” Donna said quietly. 

“DONNA!” 

“KEEP YOUR PANTS ON JOSHUA!” Donna yelled from the kitchen. 

“It’s not my pants I’m having a problem with!” he called back from the bedroom. 

“Excuse me.” Donna said to her mother-in-law. “I have to go kill your son now.” 

“All right.” Anna smiled as she watched Donna storm off towards the bedroom. 

“We’re going to be late,” Josh announced to her as she entered the bedroom. “and you know I can’t do this stupid tie.” She stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips glaring expectantly at him. “What?” 

“How about sorry for bellowing Donna?” she prompted. 

“I didn’t think you heard me.” 

“That’s not true and you know it.” she said. “And another thing, when, in the entire time I’ve known you, have I ever, EVER, let you be late for anything?” 

“This is an important thing.” Josh said. “It’s the DNC’s meet the candidate thing and we need to make a really good impression. We need our own party supporting us. We need our party setting up contributors. Money! This is where we get a lot of money!” 

She stomped over to him and started expertly tying the tie to his tuxedo for him. “If I die in a firey crash, promise me you’ll invest in a clip on.” 

“Don’t talk like that.” 

“Whatever.” 

While she worked he took the time to look down at what she was wearing. It was a knee length, brick colored dress. He was surprised to see a short dress on her, since she usually wore dresses that came down to the floor. It was very clingy, and very low cut. In fact, there really didn’t seem to be much to this dress at all. Her hair was up, leaving her neck and shoulders completely exposed. When she was finished, she turned around to locate her shoes, that’s when he saw the back. 

“That dress has no back to it.” he observed. 

“Right.” Donna said holding the dresser for support, while she slipped her heels on. 

“Okay, so it’s short, low-cut, has no back, next to no straps, and your hair is up.” He inventoried. 

“Do I look all right?” she asked with concern cropping into her voice now. “This the first time I’m going with the shorter dress thing. I see women do it all the time at these things, but I’ve never done it, and I figured since it was going to be warm out...” 

“No, no, baby. You look beautiful.” he said. “It’s just that I’m thinking I’m going to end up getting in a fight again tonight is all.” 

****** 

“Josh, have you heard anything that I’ve said?” CJ asked waving a hand in front of his face. 

“What, CJ?” Josh asked snapping his attention briefly back to her. “I didn’ hear what you said.” 

“Apparently not.” CJ surmised. She followed his gaze across the room to where Donna was still talking with Senator Kennedy. “What’s wrong?” 

“Hmm?” 

“You keep watching Donna.” CJ pointed out. “Is there something wrong?” 

“No.” 

“She’s been working the room.” CJ said. 

“Yeah.” 

“Like a good wife.” 

“Yeah.” 

“So, what’s the problem?” 

“I’m just wondering why she’s been talking to Senator Kennedy for so long about is all.” Josh confessed. 

“Maybe she can’t get away from him.” CJ suggested. “Maybe she’s waiting for you to save her.” 

“No.” Josh shook his head. “It looks like she’s actually enjoying the conversation. I’m just wondering what they’re talking about is all.” 

“Senator Kennedy is not trying to steal Donna from you, Josh.” 

“No, I know that, CJ.” Josh said. “I was just....nevermind.” Donna chose that moment to look over towards him and wave him over. 

“Well, now you get to find out.” CJ said leaving his side. 

Josh walked over to where Donna was standing with Senator Kennedy near the bar. He shook the Senator’s hand and then looked expectantly at his wife. 

“Josh, you’re never going to believe this.” Donna said. Josh smiled as he looked at her. Her face was all lit up and she was very excited about something. 

“Your wife is very charming, Josh.” Senator Kennedy said. “We’ve been having a most interesting conversation.” 

“Is that so, sir?” Josh asked wondering now what the hell was going on. “May I ask what about?” 

“Well,” Donna began. “the Senator congratulated me on Ella, and so we started swapping kid stories, and then I had mentioned how we just started house hunting, and it turns out, the Senator is going to be selling a house in Georgetown that sounds exactly like what we’ve been looking for.” 

Oh, crap. Josh thought. This has disaster written all over it. 

“Leaving town, Senator?” Josh smirked. 

“No, no, Josh.” Kennedy laughed. “I’m just selling off additional real estate. Truth be told, I’ve been trying to sell this house for years, but it always falls through.” 

“What’s wrong with it?” Josh asked suspiciously. 

“Nothing.” the Senator replied chuckling again. “It’s been in my family for years, and it’s been well maintained, but every time I think I’ve found a buyer, they get spooked.” Josh glanced over at Donna, who’s expression had since changed. She now had a wary look on her face. She and the senator had obviously not gotten this far into the conversation. 

“Been in your family for years, sir?” Josh prompted. 

“It was my brother’s.” the Senator admitted. Josh felt like his stomach just hit the floor and Donna’s jaw dropped. 

“Which brother’s?” she squeaked. 

“Jack’s.” 

Now Josh’s jaw dropped. 

“Jack and Jackie lived there when he got elected, and then Jackie lived there for a while after he died. But it got to be too much for her, it being a stop on a tour route at the time and all, so she moved to New York. I’ve rented it out, and like I said, it’s been well maintained, but for some reason, people always get freaked out and don’t buy it. I’m thinking about listing it for sale anonymously now.” 

“For some reason?” Josh repeated. 

“It’s just a house, Josh.” Senator Kennedy said. “It’s not like anything ever really happened there. It’s just a house where they lived and went about their life.” Josh and Donna watched astounded as the Senator stood there and down played the significance of this house. Senator Kennedy took in their expressions for a moment before continuing. “Josh, you worked in the White House for seven years.” the Senator reminded. “I know the Oval Office and Residence can be a bit intimidating when you start to think about the people that passed through there before us, but did you really think that my brother never set foot in the room that was your office? How many times did President Bartlet come into your office? Jack was all over that building, too. And still, it’s just an office.” 

“When can we see it?” Donna asked recovering first. 

“Tomorrow morning?” the Senator said. “I’ll give you the address.” Donna reached into Josh’s jacket pocket, pulled out a pen and handed it to the senator, who wrote the address down on the back of a business card and handed it to her. “8 o’clock too early?” 

“No, it’s perfect.” Donna replied. “He’s got a busy day tomorrow. We’ll see you in the morning.” 

“I look forward to it.” the Senator clapped a still stunned Josh on the shoulder once and disappeared into the crowd. 

“Oh my God, Josh.” Donna said when the senator was out of ear shot. “I mean, oh my God!” 

“Donna,” Josh said finally finding his voice. “remember when I said not go overboard?” 

“No.” 

“Didn’t think so.” Josh replied. “Well, this is not only overboard, this is swimming away from the boat now!” 

TBC


	3. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

Donna walked wordless around the townhouse. It was everything she’d hoped it would be. Hardwood floors, tall windows, high ceilings, a huge, sweeping staircase in the foyer that lead to the upper level, four large bedrooms, a huge kitchen, that looked like it had been updated recently, beautiful fire places in the living room, master bedroom and dining room, as well as a cozy den. It was exactly what she was looking for. She walked down the staircase to meet Josh and the Senator in the foyer, allowing her hand to trail along the beautiful craftsmanship of the bannister. She paused when Josh turned and looked up at her. He gave her a slow smile. 

“Your daughter would love sliding down that bannister in a few years.” the Senator smiled. “It’s got the perfect sliding angle and curve to it. You pick up some good speed, right where you’re standing.” 

“It’s a beautiful house.” Donna breathed quietly. 

“I was just telling Josh while you were upstairs, my father bought this house for Jack and Jackie after the `56 convention. She found out Jack was having an affair and was going to leave him, but my father knew Jack would never get to the White House without a woman like Jackie, so he asked her what he could do to convince her to stay. One of her demands was a house in Georgetown fully renovated and decorated to her specifications, as a gift from my father.” 

“She had excellent taste.” Donna said looking around the house from her vantage point on the stairs. 

“Well, it’s what she was famous for.” Senator Kennedy agreed. “Why don’t I give you two some time to poke around on your own.” 

“Senator, look at my wife’s face right now,” Josh said gesturing up to where Donna was still perched on the stairwell. “you think there’s a snowball’s chance in hell I can deny that?” The Senator smiled, clapped Josh on the shoulder and walked outside nonetheless. 

“He keeps doing that to me.” Josh said turning back to his wife and hooking thumb back towards the front door. “What do you think is up with that?” 

“Josh.” Donna whispered to him. 

“It’s a beautiful house, Donna.” Josh shrugged. “And you look beautiful in it.” She smiled widely at him and then flew down the stairs and flung herself into his arms. 

“Really?” she grinned. “We can really have it?” 

“Didn’t I just say that?” 

“You’re not going to get all freaked out about it?” 

“Why would I get freaked out about it?” 

“I don’t know.” she shrugged. 

“You think I’m wondering if it’s haunted?” Josh smirked. 

“You’re not?” she smiled. 

“Why would either one of them haunt this house? If he’s haunting anything, it’s the White House, right?” he countered. 

“So, you’ve already wondered it.” she surmised. “You think on the anniversary of his death President Kennedy’s ghost runs around here rattling chains and banging on pipes?” 

“You’re mocking me.” 

“Why on Earth would I do that?” 

“He said he’s had a hard time unloading it because people get spooked.” Josh reminded. 

“You think Senator Kennedy is trying to sell us a haunted house?” Donna laughed. Josh shrugged and smiled as Donna realized he’d been pulling her leg. “Okay.” she said playing along. “Let’s say for arguments sake that President Kennedy *is* haunting this house and not oh, the White House or the huge house in Maryland that they lived in before, or his parents huge house in Hyannis Port, but this small, by Kennedy standards, townhouse in Georgetown. Do you seriously think that he’d be like a violent Amityville Horror ghost? Because I’m thinking he’d probably just be more like a hiding your car keys on you kind of ghost.” 

“Still interested in finding out?” Josh challenged. Donna’s grinned widened as she kept her arms wrapped around his neck. “Senator!” Josh called. As Senator Kennedy walked back through the foyer, looking into Donna’s eyes Josh said, “We’ll take it. I’ll set up an appointment at your office later to discuss where to wire the money.” 

“You don’t want to know how much it costs, Josh?” the Senator asked. 

“You can tell me later.” Josh said breaking his gaze and embrace with Donna and moving over to shake the Senator’s hand. 

“All right then.” the Senator said. He started heading for the door, then stopped and turned back toward them. 

“By the way, Jack’s said to haunt that secret tunnel in the White House. Apparently, he spent a lot of time in there.” 

Josh’s laughter followed the smiling senator outside, as Donna searched the floor for a hole to swallow her up. 

****** 

“Margaret!” Donna said breathlessly as she ran up to the woman’s desk outside the chief of staff’s office. “Does she still have a few minutes? She told me half an hour ago she was okay to see me.” 

“Yeah, she’s still good.” Margaret confirmed and saw Ginger hurrying up. “What’s with all the excitement.” 

“I found a house!” Donna cried opening CJ’s door. Ginger and Margaret hurried in after her. 

“So?” CJ asked expectantly as the three woman herded into her office. “Tell me about the place.” They settled down on the couches as Donna began explaining all the details of the house to them, leaving one large detail out, of course. 

“Sounds beautiful.” Ginger agreed. 

“There’s more.” Donna assured. 

“More than three fireplaces, hardwood floors, a huge cut crystal chandelier, handcrafted oak bannister and fully modern kitchen?” Margaret asked. “It gets better than that.” 

“Oh yeah.” Donna nodded. 

“Is it free?” Ginger laughed. Donna shook her head in response. 

“Wait a minute.” CJ said breaking in. “Does this have anything to do with your conversation last night with Senator Kennedy?” 

“Mmm-hmm.” 

“You’re buying Senator Kennedy’s house?” Ginger asked confused. 

“Uh-uh.” 

“Donna,” CJ began “who’s house are you buying?” 

“JFK and Jackie’s.” 

The three women’s jaws dropped stunned and Donna smiled and nodded. 

“Shut up.” CJ said. “This is one of your funny Donna jokes.” 

“Nope.” Donna said. 

“Yes, it is.” CJ nodded. 

“Right hand to God.” Donna vowed. 

“Just so we’re clear here,” Ginger said. “you’re talking about John F. Kennedy, right? President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline Kennedy. Right?” 

“The very same one.” Donna confirmed. 

“When do you close?” CJ asked. 

“I’m not sure when it’s officially ours,” Donna admitted. “Josh is taking care of all that. But Senator Kennedy gave me the keys and said that I can go in whenever I wanted in the meantime to take room measurements and stuff.” 

“You have the keys with you now?” CJ nearly shrieked, wide eyed and pointing at her. Donna pulled them out of her pocket and dangled them in front of her. 

“Margaret,” CJ said turning to her. “clear us an hour, right now.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Margaret said bounding out of the room. 

“I want to come with you and Matt.” CJ announced. 

“Me and Matt? What?” Donna asked confused. 

“When you and Matt Skinner go shopping.” CJ said. 

“Shopping for what?” 

“Donna!” CJ cried. “You’re buying Jackie Kennedy’s house and you’re not going to take Matt Skinner with you to decorate it?!” 

“Oh my God, CJ! You’re right! I have to call him right now.” 

“Tell him it’s an emergency and get him over to that house!” CJ demanded. 

TBC


	4. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

“Okay.” Matt said leaning over the coffee table toward Donna in her and Josh’s apartment. They had floor plans and color 8 x 10 photos of the house spread out in front of them across the table. Josh was flopped down on the couch with his eyes closed and Ella sleeping peacefully on his chest. “So, we’re definitely going with the floor to ceiling built ins around the fire place in the living room, and the recessed lighting. It should be in the living room and kitchen. You don’t need it in the foyer because that chandelier is enormous.” 

“Right.” Donna said. “But you know what, I’m not going to want to turn that chandelier on every time the sun goes down. Don’t you think that’ll be too bright? I’m thinking that’s more of a party lighting feature.” 

“Oh, I like your thinking, Donna.” He complimented. “Okay. We’ll look at alternative lighting for the foyer and up the stairs then. Something softer when it’s just you guys there, and, you know, me. It’ll probably be recessed too then, because we don’t want any other lighting fixtures to take away from that chandelier, it’s the focal point of the whole entry way. At first, I thought the floors were a little too light, but I’m thinking if we soften up the paint color downstairs, they’ll be fine. I mean, it’s a really handsome shade of wood.” 

“Handsome shade of wood?” Josh murmured starting to pick up on their conversation. 

“The archway from the foyer into the living room definitely needs to be bigger and I’m thinking rounded. At first, I thought framing it out, but now I’m thinking taller and rounder, it’ll open the space up more.” 

“The space?” Josh repeated. 

“The upstairs bathroom needs to be completely gutted.” Matt continued. “I mean, it looks like it hasn’t been touched in 40 years and I’m not talking about it having a nice Jackie quality to it. No, I’m thinking Lady Bird got her raunchy hands on that place after Jackie left.” 

“Right.” Donna said again. 

“So, in the bathroom upstairs, we go with marble floors, marble half way up the wall and marble vanity, and of course, the recessed lighting.” 

“Of course.” Donna agreed. 

“And that’ll give the paint color we picked out for there a much more dramatic effect.” Matt continued. 

“What’s all this we shit?” Josh asked. 

“Am I doing this, Josh, or are you?” Matt demanded. 

“I don’t even know anymore!” Josh exclaimed. 

“Josh, so help me, if your raised voice wakes her up...” Donna threatened. 

“You’re going to give me a heart attack over here.” Josh replied in a lower tone. Donna leaned over and smacked him in the head. “Ow! What the hell was that for?” 

“Don’t say things like that.” she demanded. 

“The other day you were talking about dying in a firey crash and when I yelled at you for it, you blew me off.” Josh reminded. 

“You actually have heart issues, Joshua.” Donna said. 

“Sorry.” Josh sighed. 

“Stop fighting, children.” Matt chastised. “Josh, this is important stuff here. I know that you’re not really getting it, and you’re thinking I’m over here blowing through one of your trust funds, which I am, but it’s for good reason.” 

“Really.” Josh deadpanned. “Enlighten me.” 

“Joshua, this is Washington D.C.” Matt explained. “And your career is at a crossroads right now.” 

“What the hell?” Josh asked not following any of his logic at the moment. 

“Right now, you’re running a campaign for the presidency. You might win and you might not.” 

“I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything more positive from my token republican friend.” Josh quipped. 

“Whatever. If you win,” Matt continued. “you’ll be the White House chief of staff; if you don’t win, I think it’s safe to say that you’ll still be very active inside Washington. Either with the DNC, a lobbyist -” 

“Not likely!” 

“-- a consultant, whatever.” Matt finished. “The point being, if you live in Washington after the next inauguration you will be in some kind of position where you will have to entertain people in your home. Your house is your calling card. You’ve been around this town long enough to know that. And if we skip past the professional reasons, and move on to your daughter --” 

“You’re invoking the good name of my daughter!?” 

“Josh, if you live in Washington and work in politics, this house will be key for her.” 

“Matt, I’m a democrat.” Josh reminded. 

“She’ll still be part of society.” Matt reminded. “And then there’s Donna.” 

“What?” 

“Making a house a home is important to her.” Matt said. Josh opened his eyes and turned his head towards Matt and Donna. “A politician’s wife is no easy thing, as you’ve already found out. She’s going to be judged in everything she does. Don’t make it harder on her than it’s already going to be. I mean, she’s buying Jackie Kennedy’s house. The expectations here are high enough, once people walk through the front door and find that out, they’ll go through the roof.” Josh sighed and looked over at Donna. She looked as lost to the life Matt was spinning as Josh assumed he looked. He smiled at her then turned his head back and closed his eyes again. 

“Okay, now on to the kitchen.” Matt announced. “I know it’s new, but it’s really ugly, Donna.” 

**** 

“That was a low blow.” Josh said quietly as Donna cleaned up the coffee table after Matt left. He slowly rose off the couch, being careful not to rouse Ella in the process. 

“I was a victim there!” Donna quietly exclaimed. 

“No, I meant him.” Josh replied. “And I’m going to kick his ass for it. He knew he’d get me as soon as he started talking about you and Ella.” 

“Are you uncomfortable with all this?” she asked. 

“I guess not.” 

“Josh?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Don’t you think it’s time you actually told me how much money is in these trust funds?” she asked. “I mean are we talking a million dollars here or what?” 

“Several.” he replied walking off toward’s Ella’s room. Donna stood there stunned for a moment, then followed him once she recovered. 

“Several!” she hissed from the doorway as she watched him get her ready for bed. She crossed over to the glider in the nursery and flopped down into it. 

“Several like three or four, or several like --” 

“About fourteen now.” Josh admitted. 

“14 million dollars?” Donna croaked. Josh propped Ella back up on his shoulder and moved over to the crib, laying her gently down. He pulled the railing up and turned to his wife. 

“Yes.” 

“In the near eight years that I’ve known you, it never once occurred to you to tell me that you’re a multi-millionaire?” she accused as she followed back out to the living room. 

“Well, sure it did.” he confessed. “But what difference would it have made? It’s not like I ever touch the money. In fact, the first time I’ve even discussed it with my mother was when Ella was born.” 

“And?” 

“And it’s been decided that we’ll take whatever we need for the house, then split the rest between a trust fund for Ella and retirement investment for you and me.” Josh explained. “And if there’s any other kids in the future, we’ll split Ella’s share between them.” 

“That’s quite a plan, Joshua.” Donna said staring at him. 

“I don’t get it. What am I in trouble for here?” Josh asked. 

“I don’t know.” Donna admitted dropping down onto the end of the couch. He crawled along the other end, wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped his head into her lap. 

“I’m sorry, baby.” he apologized. “It’s shocking, I know. I honestly didn’t think to tell you because I seriously don’t ever think about that money. My mother brought it up to me for the first time in years when we got married. The reason I have that money is because my father died. I have never touched it, and until you came along, I never even considered any circumstances under which I would touch it.” 

“Okay.” she said reaching down and running her fingers through his hair. 

“Do whatever you want with the house. All the paperwork goes to the accountant.” Josh instructed. 

“You really want me to tell Matt that we can do whatever we want?” Donna smiled. 

“Matt knows what’s there, Donna.” Josh reminded. “Trust me, he knows what he can do.” 

TBC


	5. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

Donna felt Josh’s presence in the house before she saw him. She had been weaving around through the painting scaffolding in the living room, trying to clear a wider area for Ella and her exersaucer, and opening the windows to help get rid of the linger smell of new paint. He’d been on the road and due to get back into town today. She turned around with a huge welcoming smile on her face, but it quickly melted away when she saw the expression on his face. 

Something was wrong; very wrong. 

She hurried across the room over to him, pulling him to her. “Baby, what’s wrong?” she asked. 

“Donna, haven’t you turned on a t.v. today?” he responded. 

“No.” she confessed. “I’ve been here all day, I haven’t brought a t.v. over yet and had one hooked up. What’s wrong? What happened.” 

“The leak.” he said. 

“Leak?” she asked. “What leak?” 

“The White House leak, the shuttle.” Josh reminded. “It broke today.” 

“Who is it?” she asked in a voice so soft that had Josh not actually been looking at her and seeing her lips moved, he may not have heard it. 

“Baby, it was Toby.” he said. 

Donna pulled back from him and shook his head from side to side. “No.” she said. But he nodded his head in response. “Not Toby. Toby would never do something like that.” 

“Apparently he confessed to CJ, Babish and then the President.” Josh said. Donna turned back towards the living room and sat down on the floor stunned. She looked over at Ella asleep in her portable crib and thought of Huck and Molly. How could he do something like this to them? He knew it was a federal crime, he knew he’d be going to jail. How could he deny his kids their father? 

“Toby leaked classified information?” Donna asked again. 

“It’s what they’re saying.” Josh said joining her on floor. 

“How would he even have information like that?” Donna said. “That was classified national security information. That was a military shuttle. How in the world would he know something like that?” 

“I don’t know.” Josh shrugged, then laid back on the floor. “Maybe his brother told him.” 

“How would his brother know that?” Donna asked. 

“I have no idea, Donna.” Josh replied. “I’ve been going over and over this in my head. And I’ve just been coming back to the same thing, I just don’t know. I tried to talk to him, but I can’t get in to see him.” 

“Joshua!” Donna snapped looking over at him. 

“What?” 

“Are you drunk?” 

“What? No.” 

“You know damn well you can’t go anywhere near him right now. I swear to God, if I find out you tried to talk to him again, I will tear you limb from limb.” Donna threatened. 

“Donna, he’s my friend.” Josh said. “I’m not going to bail on him when he needs me.” 

“He’s toxic to you and the campaign right now.” Donna said heatedly. “You know it, and he’ll know it. And because of it, he’ll refuse to see you anyway. You can figure it out when it quiets down, but you cannot see him now.” 

“You’re right.” Josh sighed. 

“Damn straight.” 

“When’d you get so smart?” he smiled. 

“I’ve always been this smart.” she smiled back. She leaned over to him and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around, pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. 

“Oh for crying out loud!” came a voice from the doorway. They looked over to the doorway and saw CJ standing there as two secret service agents moved around the lower level. 

“Anyone upstairs?” one of them asked down to Josh and Donna. 

“No.” Donna said. “It’s empty up there.” Regardless of her answer, the agent headed upstairs. 

“CJ!” Josh greeted with his head tilted back, looking up at her upside down. “Nice of you to darken our doorway!” 

“Whatever.” she replied. She held up a big brown paper bag and continued. “Listen, you know I can’t talk about it, but I want to get stinking drunk, and I know I can get stinking drunk around you two and you’ll make sure I’m good and drunk and not talking about it still.” 

“Okay.” Donna smiled. She pushed herself off her husband and walked over to retrieve the bag from CJ. “Getting stinking drunk sounds good to me. Josh, call your mom and see if she can pick Ella up and bring her home. I’m thinking it’s a bad idea to get stinking drunk around our infant daughter.” Josh pulled out his cell phone as Donna closed the door and CJ moved into the living room. 

“When do you guys officially move in?” she asked. 

“Another few weeks.” Donna answered. “Want me to order Chinese?” 

“Yeah. And tell them there’s an extra 20 bucks in there if they stop and grab a big gallon of Ben and Jerry’s.” CJ negotiated. 

***** 

“What an asshole.” 

“CJ, you’re not allowed to talk about it.” Donna reminded. 

“I can call him an asshole.” CJ retorted. “I mean, we all know he’s an asshole; he’s always been an asshole.” 

“Come on, CJ.” Josh said. 

“All I’m saying is he’s an asshole.” CJ said taking another sip of her fourth glass of wine. “That’s it, nothing else, just an asshole. And because he’s such an asshole, I’m stuck with Will.” 

“Will?” Donna asked. 

“Will Bailey is the new communications director.” CJ supplied. “So I have Will Bailey and Cliff Calley.” 

“Sounds like your half way to a bad western musical.” Josh said. 

“You’re telling me.” CJ scoffed. “I’ve got Will Bailey and Cliff the wonder republican.” 

“We’ve all got our republicans to shoulder.” Josh smiled. “Look what mine’s doing to my house. For a republican, he spends an awful lot of money.” 

“Speaking of your house, which is coming along beautifully I might add,” CJ began. “Why in hell is there a big hole over your fireplace?” 

“It’s for the t.v.” Donna explained. 

“Yeah, but if you stick a big old t.v. in the wall, won’t that take away from that beautiful fireplace? I thought Matt knew what he was doing.” 

“When there are people here, we’ll cover the t.v. with artwork.” Donna explained. 

“A Picasso I’m sure.” Josh sighed rubbing his hands over his face. He was leaning up against the now beautifully arced archway. Donna smiled and crawled over to curl up with him. He kissed her forehead and then leaned his head against hers, wrapping an arm around her in the process. 

“You know, I’m depressed enough over here, without your little love fest going on.” CJ said. “I mean, I’ve always thought that you guys were meant to be together and all, but I would have thought that all this mushy shit would have died down after you finally, you know, had sex.” 

“CJ, how’s Danny?” Josh asked switching the subject back to her. CJ’s eyes grew real wide and she looked down to her wine glass, studying intently the swirling wine. 

“Why would you ask that?” 

“Just wondering if you’ve talked to him.” Josh replied. 

“Maybe.” 

Out of the corner of his eye, Josh caught the secret service agent by the door talk quietly into his wrist a moment before the door rang. Donna moved off of him as he stood up and walked over to the door. 

“It’s Senator Kennedy, sir.” the agent said as Josh opened the door. Senator Kennedy stood there with a large, flat cardboard box next to him. 

“Good evening, Senator.” greeted Josh. 

“I stopped by your apartment and your mother said you were here.” the Senator explained moving into the foyer, as Josh helped him slide the box through the door. “I hope it’s not too late.” 

“Not at all, sir.” Donna said standing up and walking over to him. The senator took a moment to observe the few empty bottles of wine on the floor between them and CJ’s presence and put two and two together. 

“Yes, it’s been quite a day.” he agreed. 

“What brings you by, sir?” Josh asked. 

“This.” the senator replied tapping the top of the box. “I was remembering what I said to you the day I showed you the house and how I said that Jack and Jackie didn’t really do anything while they lived here, only Jack did do something while he lived here and it made me think of a housewarming present for you.” 

“Oh, sir.” Donna said. “You don’t have to get us anything.” 

“Maybe not.” the senator said. “But still, I sort of thought this belonged here.” 

“What is it?” Josh asked eyeing it suspiciously. Given the shape of the box, it was obviously some kind of piece of art. 

“Open it.” the senator said gesturing to the box. CJ stumbled to her feet and swayed her way over to the group standing in the foyer. Josh pulled the box apart and Donna helped him remove the protective bubble wrap from the large frame. Donna squinted at the contents of the frame, but Josh’s jaw dropped. He knew immediately what it was. 

“What is it?” CJ asked coming around to their side to take a look. 

“It’s the first four pages of the handwritten manuscript of Profiles in Courage.” Josh explained. 

“Jack wrote it while he lived here.” Senator Kennedy explained. 

“That’s Josh’s favorite book.” Donna announced. 

“Well, then it’s got even more meaning.” the Senator said taking his first look around. “This place is coming along beautifully, by the way. Oh look at that, this is the perfect size to cover that hole above the fireplace.” 

TBC


	6. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

“You’re shitting me.” 

“I’m actually not.” 

“Come on.” Matt said to Donna as they walked up the stairs to the house. Donna put the baby carrier down on the top step and unlocked the front door. Once the door was open, she picked up the baby and moved inside. “Seriously.” 

“I’m totally serious.” Donna said. “You’ll see in a minute.” 

“Did you get it authenticated?” Matt asked. Donna stopped walking and turned around to gape at him. 

“Are you telling me that the man’s brother saying that’s what it was isn’t authentication enough?” Donna retorted. 

“This is Teddy Kennedy we’re talking about. He’s a member of a family that’s been notoriously surrounded by scandal since the 20s. He could have written it out and framed it himself and said, hey, look what my brother wrote.” Matt said skeptically. 

“Well, I can go over to White House archives and dig up something the man actually wrote and compare the two, if it’ll make you feel better.” Donna said. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, Matt.” Donna said. “They let former White House assistants near all the precious former presidential paperwork. You should see the stuff Truman wrote.” 

“Where is it?” Matt asked turning in a circle to look around the living room, ignoring her sarcasm. 

“Leaning right up against the fireplace.” Donna pointed as she removed Ella from her carrier and placed her in her exersaucer. Ella squealed and started to swat at the toys in front of her. 

Matt walked up to the picture and squatted down in front of it, just like Josh did the night it came. “That’s what the first four pages of the book say all right.” Matt confirmed. 

“Isn’t it awesome?” Donna smiled. 

“No! It’s not awesome, Donna!” Matt exclaimed frustrated. “Look at it! Look at the frame! It’s ugly! It doesn’t match this room!” 

“You don’t think it matches?” 

“No.” 

“Well, what are we going to do?” Donna asked. “We can’t take the chance of getting it reframed.” 

“It can’t go in here.” Matt said with finality. 

“It has to go in here, Matt.” Donna replied. “First of all, it’s the perfect fit over the fireplace. Secondly, Josh isn’t going to want it anywhere else.” 

“How about in the bedroom?” Matt suggested. “Or in the office down the hall. Christ, that’s probably where the man wrote it to begin with.” 

“He’s not going to want it there.” Donna said shaking her head. 

“Well, he did say you could do whatever you wanted, right?” Matt countered. 

“I can’t do this, Matt.” Donna said. “I’ll sooner repaint this freaking room than do this to him.” 

“Do what? What are you doing to him?” 

“He wants it in here. He wants it where he can see it. It’s inspiring to him.” Donna explained. 

“Inspiring?” Matt asked. “There’s nothing inspiring about an ugly frame.” 

“It’s what’s in the frame that’s inspiring, you idiot!” Donna exclaimed frustrated. 

“Donna, even if we repainted the room, the frame is still ugly.” Matt said. “There’s no getting around that.” 

“Matt, it’s going to have to be the one thing in the house that doesn’t make any sense then.” Donna sighed. “John F. Kennedy wrote those words himself, you know it, I know it, Josh knows it, and anyone who walks through those doors is going to know it. And you know what? When they see what’s in it, they’re going to forgive the ugly frame.” 

“Well, that, and John F. Kennedy was talking out his ass when he wrote that book.” Matt quipped. Donna rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Ella. 

****** 

On the third attempt, Josh finally got his hotel room door in Philadelphia opened. As soon as he stepped into the dark room, he smelled her. 

“I know you’re in here, Donnatella.” he called smiling into the dark room. 

“Shit.” came a soft swear from the area of the bed. “I was trying to be stealthy.” 

“Not with that perfume.” he laughed turning on the light. He walked past the bathroom and leaned his head and shoulder against the short wall, looking at her. She was laying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows and wearing a short, silk, emerald green nightie, one of his favorites. She smiled slowly as she let his eyes drink her in and slowly started kicking her legs back and forth. 

“Dare I ask where you stashed the kid?” he asked. 

“She’s got a cold, so your mother’s spending the night.” Donna explained. “Picture’s on the t.v.” He pushed himself off the wall and walked over to the t.v. and picked up the picture of Ella that Donna had printed out for him this morning. Smiling softly, he turned back to his wife, who had slid off the bed and was walking slowly towards him. 

“This is a nice surprise.” he said softly. 

“Leo called me this morning.” Donna confessed. “Seems you’ve been having a bit of a nutty today?” 

“I have not been having a nutty.” Josh defended. 

“Leo’s a pretty good judge of your nutties, don’t you think?” Donna countered. 

“So he set up a booty call for me?” 

“He simply called to remind me that Philadelphia was a mere two hour drive from Washington.” Donna said. She was happy to see that he’d already removed his tie, so she started on the buttons of his shirt. “I get the feeling you could use a little destressing.” 

“I could use a lot of destressing.” he confessed. 

“Fine.” she said gesturing to the bed. “On your stomach.” 

“I’m sorry?” he squeaked. 

“We start with the massage.” 

****** 

“Why have you been so stressed out this week?” Donna asked propping herself up on her elbow and looking down at him on the bed. 

“Why do you think I’ve been stressed out all week?” 

“Um...how about I’ve met you before.” she quipped. “I talk to you every day on the phone. You don’t think I’ve come to hear the stress in your voice? Trust me, if there’s one thing I learned early on to read about you, it’s when you’re stressed out.” 

“I don’t know.” he said quietly. He propped himself up on his elbow so he was eye to eye with her. “I’m really relaxed now.” he smiled. “Perfectly ready for my 8 a.m. appointment with finance.” 

“9:30.” she corrected. 

“8 a.m.” he replied. 

“Not so much.” 

“You changed my meeting with finance?” he asked. “That was awfully bold of you.”’ 

“That meeting left you four hours before you had your staff meeting.” 

“I was going to use that time to work.” 

“You were going to use that time to obsess over that stupid map.” Donna countered. 

Josh flopped back down on the pillow and sighed frustrated. “Barry Goodwin’s calling up the Congressman and second guessing everything I do. I think he’s talking about trying to replace me.” 

“We’re coming down the wire,” Donna reminded. “of course he is. There’s a reason why Barry Goodwin sits on his ass in the DNC offices and doesn’t actually go out and campaign, Josh. It’s because he’s no good at it.” 

“This a really young staff.” Josh continued. 

“Kind of like you guys were on the first Bartlet campaign?” Donna replied. “And yet, you won.” 

“The only one with a real clue there is Lou.” Josh said. “And she’s annoying the hell out of me.” 

“She’s annoying the hell out of you because she doesn’t report to you, or take your shit, I might add. You’re annoyed because she’s right and the Congressman is listening to somebody else’s opinion, too.” 

“As long as he doesn’t listen to Barry Goodwin.” 

“They’re getting nervous, Josh.” Donna reminded. “Again, they’ve placed the White House in the fate of an unknown candidate. They’re fearing the unknown.” 

“They feared the unknown with Bartlet, look how good that turned out.” 

“See, now you’re getting it.” Donna smiled. “Listen, Ellie’s wedding is tomorrow night. We’re going to get dressed up, go to the White House and drink, dance and have fun. Barry Goodwin’s an idiot. You’re the one that found Matt Santos, convinced him to run and got him all the way here. The Congressman’s not going to forget that.” 

“You think.” Josh ended. 

“I know.” she qualified. 

“How would you know?” 

“I talk to Helen.” Donna said. “The Congressman thinks you’re doing a great job. He’ll meet with the DNC because he has to, but you told me once he’s his own man. If you have a hard time getting him to listen to you, what makes you think he’ll listen to the DNC?” 

“Fair point.” he said. He rose up and pinned her down on the bed. “Now, enough of this shit. It’s time for more destressing.” 

“By the way,” Donna said. “Matt thinks the frame for the thing is ugly and doesn’t match the living room.” 

“Well, that’ll piss him off every time he comes over, won’t it?” Josh smiled. 

TBC


	7. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

“Donnatella!” Josh barked kicking through the apartment door. Donna walked into the living room around the packed boxes putting her earrings on. She was already dressed for the wedding. “What the hell?” he demanded. 

“Joshua, don’t swear.” his mother ordered coming from the kitchen with a bottle and disappearing back to Ella’s room. 

“What?” Donna asked turning back to the bedroom. 

“How long have you been consulting with Helen Santos?” Josh asked as he followed her past the boxes and into the bedroom. She was unzipping the bag containing his tux. 

“Couple of weeks.” she said, moving into the bathroom and turning on the shower for him. 

“A couple of weeks?” he repeated. “On what exactly?” 

“Image.” 

“Image?” he repeated again. 

“Joshua, is there an echo in here? Are you going to repeat everything I say?” 

“She came to me today because the DNC said they have to put you on payroll if you keep doing this, so she needed your social security number.” Josh explained as he started to get undressed. Donna pushed the bedroom door shut and turned back to him. She figured his mother could do without seeing him naked, which he would be shortly. 

“I talked to her after the whole thong thing.” Donna said waving her hand. “She was really upset about that. She said she didn’t know what people expected of her, and every time she tried to get involved, it blew up. So we starting chatting and I starting talking to her about the things that would be expected of her as First Lady and we talked about Abbey Bartlet, and it just sort started from there.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” he asked. 

“Because it started out as innocent girl talk. Then the other day she told me that DNC started to consider it image consulting and started encouraging her to talk to me more.” Donna explained reaching for a bracelet from her jewelry box. 

“That’s kind of something I should know about!” he called from the shower. 

“I was going to tell you yesterday, but you were having your meltdown.” Donna replied. 

“I can meltdown and listen to what you have to say at the same time.” 

“In fact, you’ve never been able to do that.” Donna replied. 

“Well, I was pretty calm after you got done with me,” he said peeking his head out around the shower curtain and smiling wickedly at her. “I’m sure I would have paid attention then.” 

“Well, it slipped my mind then.” she confessed smiling. 

“All right.” he said disappearing back behind the curtain. “So, you’re coming out of retirement then, is that it?” 

“We don’t have time for your funny little jokes.” Donna said looking at her watch. 

“You’re just going to avoid this question then?” he asked shutting off the water. 

“It happened kind of fast.” Donna said. “Like I said, it started as friendly conversation and just morphed.” 

“Morphed?” 

“Morphed.” 

“All right. Where are my pants?” She took the tux out of the closet and hung it on the bathroom door. “You’re going to tell me when you know, right?” 

“Yes. When I figure out what it is, I’ll clue you in.” He pulled on is his pant and started running a towel through his hair. He stopped and looked up at her. “You look pretty.” 

“Thank you.” she smiled. 

“How much time do we have?” still gazing at her. 

“None.” she replied sternly. “And you know the rule. Once I’m ready for a thing, you can’t undo it. It’s not like I just throw this together, Joshua.” Josh rolled his eyes and reached for his shirt. 

******** 

 

“What’s up with the weird vibe here tonight?” Josh asked handing Donna glass of white wine. 

“Well, there’s the underlying buzz of people talking about you getting fired tonight.” Donna offered. 

“Well, now they can talk about the fact that I’m not.” Josh replied. “Leo smacked them all down.” 

“Well, then it’s probably the fact that the bride is Catholic and pregnant.” Donna said with a shrug, taking a sip of her drink. 

Josh spit out the sip of the highball he was drinking, narrowly avoiding getting it all over himself. 

“Holy shit! Ellie’s pregnant?” he hissed at her. She nodded and he continued to gape at her. 

“Oh my God, and I thought I was uncomfortable when I told the President I was leaving to run the Congressman’s campaign!” he bit his lip in an attempt to keep from laughing. “I mean, can you just imagine what it must have been like for Ellie to tell her parents that?” 

“Josh.” Donna warned. 

“All right. I’m shutting up about it.” 

“So, you still having a job is good news.” Donna said changing the subject. He shrugged and took a sip of his drink again. 

“Because of Leo.” he replied. “Again.” 

“Josh.” 

“How many times is that guy going to have to save my job?” Josh asked. Donna could hear the disappointment in his voice and he leaned back up against the bar. She put her now empty glass on the bar and ran her hand through his hair. 

“Come on.” she said tugging on his hand. “Let’s dance.” He let her lead him out onto the dance floor and once in their familiar embrace, Josh notice Cliff Calley talking with someone by the wall. 

“You should probably know that the hits just keep on coming with me tonight.” he began. 

“Now what did you do?” she accused with a sigh. 

“Well, Cliff stopped me in the hall after I talked to the Congressman and asked if I would mind if he asked you to dance tonight and I told him not if he didn’t mind me sticking my foot up his ass.” Josh answered. 

“Joshua!” Donna whispered and dropped her head on his shoulder in frustration. 

“I was all wound up from everything going on tonight.” Josh defended. “Besides, baby, you know I hate him.” 

“Hate him all you want, but you *have* to be nice to him, Josh.” Donna pleaded. 

“Why? You’re not nice to Amy.” he countered. 

“Amy didn’t read about the deep, dark secrets of your life.” she shot back. 

“He read about the deep, dark secrets of *your* life.” he reminded. 

“And the deep, dark secrets of *your* life.” she said. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” 

“What do you think was in that diary?” she asked. “Think about when that was. Why do you think I didn’t confess it’s existence in the first place?” 

He stopped moving and stared at her. “Rectangles?” 

“Rectangles.” she confirmed. 

“*That’s* what’s in that diary?” he asked in disbelief. 

“Was.” she said. “I burned that a long time ago.” He turned away, running a hand through his hair and turned back to her. He opened his mouth to say something to her, but thought better of it, then grabbed her hand and dragged her off the dance floor. 

“What are you doing?” she asked. 

“We’re leaving.” he announced. 

***** 

She turned on the lights in the living of the townhouse and dimmed them. They’d decided to head to the new house. If they were going to fight and get loud, they didn’t want to worry about waking up Ella. Josh threw his jacket over the couch as she stepped out of her shoes. She made her way toward the kitchen in search of some more wine. They were half-way moved in, with the big push coming that weekend. She’d already begun to stock the kitchen, since she and Ella had been spending a lot of time here, as she gradually unpacked the new stuff she’d bought for the house. 

“Are you telling me that all that shit about Stanley was in that diary?” he demanded following her, untying his bow tie. 

“Of course.” Donna replied fishing out two wine glasses and putting them on the counter. She walked around him over to the wine rack and fished through for the bottle of Pinot she knew was in there. 

“He knows all that stuff.” Josh said. 

“Yes.” she confirmed. “Why the hell do you think I didn’t want it turned over?” she replied finally finding the bottle and putting it on the counter. She pulled out a cork screw from a drawer and handed it to him. He immediately started to peel back the aluminum wrapper surrounding the cork. 

“You lied to Congress to protect me?” he demanded. 

“Yes.” she said simply moving to his side as he pulled the cork out of the bottle. 

“That’s a felony.” he reminded. 

“So you told me that day.” 

“You committed a felony so no one would find out I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder?” he asked, delving deeper into the conversation. 

“And put your hand through a window.” she ended. 

“Donna!” 

“It’s what we do.” she said. 

“We don’t commit felonies for each other, Donna.” he said heatedly. 

“Oh yeah?” she countered. “And in your deposition before Congress you corrected that misleading fact, right? Oh wait no, because you arranged a meeting with Cliff in secret so he could read it. You’re Clyde to my Bonnie, buddy!” 

“What?” 

“Why are you so pissed about this? It was five years ago!” 

“You didn’t tell me this!” 

“You didn’t tell me you had 14 million dollars.” 

“Having 14 million dollars in trust isn’t a felony, baby.” 

“No, but the felony part isn’t news to you.” Donna replied pouring them wine. “You found out about that immediately after it happened.” 

“I didn’t know *why* you did it.” he said. 

“Well, now you do.” she shrugged sliding his glass over to him. “Are you going to be mad at me for a stupid reason now?” 

“Like you’ve never been mad at me for a stupid reason.” he scoffed. 

“Name one.” she challenged. 

“How about that very night, we got drunk at my apartment and got in a fight, and you yelled at me for walking in front of a bullet!” he reminded. “That one ring a bell?” 

“Well, I was drunk.” she said. 

“So that excuses it?” 

“Yes.” she said simply. They were quiet for a few moments, each swirling their wine and thinking of a chilly fall night long ago. 

“I see the new couches came while I was away.” he noted. 

“They came last week.” 

“They look nice.” he said. 

“Thanks. They’re comfortable. You’ll like them.” 

“They look new.” 

“They are new, Joshua.” 

“Really new.” he smiled again. 

“Where are you going with this?” she asked. 

“They look like they need to be christened.” he said dropping his voice and turning toward her. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her towards him. 

“Yes, they do.” she agreed, now running her fingers up his arms. 

“In fact, it occurs to me that the whole house needs to be christened.” he noted. 

“It’s a big house.” 

“We better get to work.” 

TBC


	8. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

Donna was just lighting the last of the candles when she heard Josh coming down the stairs. She dimmed the lights in the living room just as she walked in and then lit the fireplace. 

“She asleep?” she asked. Josh nodded and set the baby monitor on the coffee table. 

“You converted the fireplace to gas?” he asked looking from the roaring fire to her. 

“No, they were already gas.” Donna replied. “The senator must have done it sometime over the last 40 years.” 

She curled down into the big plush pillows she had laid down in front of the fireplace and he immediately joined her. 

“This place looks amazing, baby.” Josh sighed. “You and Matt really did an excellent job. But don’t ever tell Matt I said that.” She smiled and snuggled in closer to him, enjoying every minute she had left with him. It was October now. The election was four weeks away, and she wasn’t likely to see him before it. “I love this rug, too.” he said running a hand through the burgundy and silver area rug beneath them. “It’s so soft. Where’d you get it?” 

“Afghanistan.” she answered simply. 

“I’m sorry?” he squeaked after a moment. “Did you say Afghanistan?” 

“Yes.” 

“Matt imported a carpet from Afghanistan?” 

“Imported is sort of a loose term to use.” Donna slowly hedged. Josh groaned and fell back onto the pillows. 

“Baby, tell me this isn’t off someone’s *floor* in Afghanistan.” 

“It was legitimately bought in Afghanistan, brand new.” she supplied. 

“Just illegitimately brought into the country.” he groaned again. 

“Well, that all depends on how you look at it.” Donna said. 

“There’s an angle here to spin?” he asked arching his eyebrows. 

“Well, you know, the CIA goes to these countries to do whatever is they do, and before the agents leave, they do a little shopping for their families...” Donna began. 

“Stop right there.” Josh demanded holding his hand up. “If we win the election, I don’t want to know anything that’s going to trigger a Congressional investigation. And while we’re on the subject, if we win the election, no more contraband coming into the house.” 

“Well, then I hope the one for the dining room gets here in the next four weeks.” Donna mumbled. 

“Baby! You’re going to give me a stroke one of these days!” 

“And I certainly hope Helen’s gets here by then, too.” 

“Donna!” 

“Don’t be so dramatic, Josh.” Donna said. “And I’m seriously kidding about Helen.” 

“I’m serious! This is the kind of shit that sends Lillianfield hunting.” 

“I promise never to let Lillianfield in our house.” Donna deadpanned. 

“All right. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” he sighed. “You’re coming to Texas for the election right? You, my mom and Ella?” 

“I am.” Donna replied. “I’m not putting Ella on a plane and dragging her to Texas for a mere 36 hours.” 

“My baby girl’s not coming?” he whined. 

“You’re not going to have time for her, Joshua.” Donna reminded. “And she’s not going to understand why Daddy’s there and not playing with her.” Josh sighed and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her up against him. 

“When are you going to be there?” 

“I’ll be there around 10.” she explained. “I’ll vote on my way to the airport.” 

“Don’t forget.” 

“I’ve never forgotten before.” she replied. 

“And no drawing lines down the ticket this time. Democrat, democrat, democrat, democrat, all the way down.” he joked. 

“It’s not an absentee ballot this time.” she said hitting him the chest. “And might I remind you that I found a Ritchie voter to vote Bartlet for me?” 

“I still don’t believe you think he was actually telling you the truth.” Josh laughed. 

“He’s a naval officer, of course he was telling the truth.” she pouted. 

“If you think so...” 

“You think he voted Ritchie anyway?” 

“Probably not.” Josh shrugged. “I’m just trying to get a rise out of you.” 

“So I’ll be in Texas by 10.” Donna said again. “Just in time to put an end to your first nutty.” 

“What makes you think I’m going to have a nutty?” he challenged. “I wasn’t freaking out four years ago on election day.” 

“Because you were in the White House all day and not the war room.” Donna reminded. “And you definitely had your moments.” 

“Fine.” he said. 

“Josh,” she said softly. He looked away from the fire and down at her. “you’re going to do it.” 

“We’ll see.” he replied. 

“You got him this far, you’ll take him all the way.” 

“That’s quite a pedestal you’ve got me on there, Donnatella.”he said. “It’s going to be a long fall off it.” 

“I’ll never let you fall off it.” 

TBC


	9. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

Donna put the car in park back at the hotel parking lot, took off her seatbelt and turned to look at Josh. He had been silent the entire way back from the hospital. She was still trying to process herself Annabeth’s words. She just couldn’t believe Leo was really gone. And now, coming back here where they were going to have to face the press, was making it all too real. Wordlessly, he unsnapped his seatbelt and fell across the front seat into her lap and she started stroking his hair. 

“Josh.” 

“I don’t want to go in there.” he admitted. 

“Baby, you know we can’t stay in the car.” Donna said quietly. “We have to go in there. They need you.” 

“I just...can’t.” 

“The Congressman’s going to need you to guide him right now. He needs to know what to do.” 

“I have no idea what the hell to do.” Josh admitted. “I don’t know what to tell him.” 

Donna stayed quiet for a few moments as she watched him lay in her lap with his eyes closed. She was going to need another approach here. If she didn’t act fast, he was going to retreat into himself and stay there. She knew how he felt. She knew that he just wanted to find a dark room to be alone in and mourn the passing of a man that was like a second father to him. And she’d let him do that...tomorrow, when they got back to Washington. Today, she needed to get him out of the stupid car and into the hotel. 

“Josh, it’s the most important day of your life --” 

“It’s not remotely the most important day of my life.” Josh replied with a hollow laugh. 

“Josh -” 

“Baby, it may be the most important day of my *career*,” Josh replied. “but it’s head and shoulders *below* the most important day of my life.” 

“Fine.” she acquiesced. “It’s the most important day of your career. A day that Leo has guided you to. You can’t let him down by falling to pieces because of him. You know damn well that if he could, he’d kick your ass from here to the RNC for abandoning your post because of him. The best way to honor him is to get in there and do your job.” 

Josh sighed and she knew that she’d gotten through. He started to raise himself up, but stopped when he was level with her face. He leaned in and kissed her and as he pulled away, she brought her hand up to his face. He looked down and closed his eyes, when he opened them again and met her eyes, there was unmistakably pain shining back out. 

“I know.” she said quietly, kissing his forehead and stroking his cheek. “But it’s time to put your head in the game.” 

******* 

“Thanks, Boss.” he whispers. 

From her position leaning in the doorway, Donna watched as Josh silently moved about the war room. The President-Elect’s victory speech just ended on t.v. She watched as he silently crossed the room and shut the t.v. off. 

“How long are you going to stand there and not say anything?” he asked with his back still turned. 

“Time for you to go drink from the keg of glory for a little bit.” she said. He turned back to her with a slight smile playing on his face. 

“You’re telling me to go get drunk?” he laughed. 

“You absolutely misinterpreted that.” she smiled. “I have a completely different plan for you tonight and it does not include actually drinking.” 

“What’s your plan?” he asked quietly as he cross the room to her. 

“We’re going down to the ballroom for a little while.” Donna explained. “You just got the man elected President; you’re not going leave him hanging out there by himself right off the bat. We go down there for a little while, go back to our room for copious amounts of victory sex, and then, I’m giving you two Benedryl and you’ll then spend at a minimum, the next six hours in uninterrupted sleep.” 

“You’re seriously going to drug me?” he said raising his eyebrows in shock. “I thought we were just kidding around about that stuff.” 

“No. I’m seriously going to drug you. You can take them willingly and make it easy, or I can just be stealthy about it and slip them into your drink, but you will sleep tonight, Joshua.” she said sternly. “You’ve had four hours of sleep in 48 hours. We have a hellish and emotional few days ahead of us, followed by transition, which is totally going to suck for you and you’re not starting it off on the wrong foot. And besides, it’s Benedryl, not anaesthesia. I will be able to wake you up, if I have to, in case, you know, the hotel has to be evacuated or something.” 

He sighed in defeat and threw his arm around her as they walked down the hall. 

“So, let’s evaluate things here for a second.” he said as they approached the elevator. “You’ve now taken to changing my schedule at your whim and drugging me when you decide I need to sleep. This sounds an awful lot like you’re handling me, baby.” 

“Oh, I’ve got a grander plan than, Joshua.” she smiled mischievously. “Wait until you find out what I have planned for the transition time. I’m not going to let you drop dead from stress.” 

“Who appointed you overlord of me?” he quipped. 

“You did.” she smiled as they entered the elevator and she hit the button for the ground floor. “The day you handed me your i.d. badge in Manchester.” 

“Incidentally, the most important day of my life.” 

****** 

Donna looked up from the newspaper she was reading when she heard the groan from the bed. It was muffled because his head was under the pillow, but it seemed as if the beast was awakening. 

“Morning, baby.” she greeted softly walking over to the bed and stroking his head when if finally emerged from under the pillow. “Or, I should say afternoon.” She smiled as she saw that it took him a few moments to process that. 

“Afternoon?” he asked. “Exactly when in the afternoon?” 

“It’s just about noon now.” she said. 

“How long have I been asleep?” 

“Seven and a half hours.” He dropped his head back down on the bed and covered it again with the pillow. 

“I’m having a hard time thinking!” he called from under the pillow. 

“It’ll clear up in a few minutes, and after we get coffee in you.” she assured. “Everyone’s down in the conference room for breakfast.” 

“How do you know?” 

“I was just down there a little bit ago.” she confessed. 

“How long have you been awake?” 

“About an hour.” she said. “Come on, get up and take a shower.” He groaned again while she dragged him out of the bed and pushed him across the room to the bathroom. He stopped at the door to the bathroom and turned back to her. She waited for him to say something, and when nothing came, she said, “What?” 

“What?” he asked. 

“What do you need?” she asked. 

“I don’t need anything.” 

“Why are you standing here then?” 

“What?” 

“Okay. I think next time we’ll cut you back to one and a half Benedryls. You’re obviously having a hard time coming around this morning.” she laughed walking past him to turn on the shower. 

***** 

Josh and Donna entered the conference room that had been commandeered for breakfast. The room was still packed with people from the campaign. There was a brief applause for Josh, which he ignored and headed straight for the coffee station. 

“Not one to accept a compliment gracefully is he?” Annabeth smiled as Donna sat down at a table with she and Helen. 

“He’s just a little out of it this morning.” Donna confessed. “He just needs some caffeine in him to counteract the effects of the Benedryl.” 

“You were serious about that last night?” Helen asked incredulously as Donna nodded. 

“Last night?” Josh asked turning around. 

“Donna came down to the ballroom after you fell asleep to tell us that you’d be unaccessible for a few hours.” Helen explained. 

“Are you kidding me?” Josh exclaimed. “You dragged me upstairs, drugged me, had your way with me, and then went to a party? I feel so used!” 

“Joshua!” Donna cried out mortified, as Annabeth spit her orange juice out across the table laughing. 

“Baby, do me a favor.” Josh continued, not caring in the slightest bit that everyone around them was snickering at Donna’s obvious discomfort to his blunt synopsis of the previous evening. “The next time you sedate me over my strong objection, do not tell the President of the United States about it.” 

Donna dropped her head down in her arms and shook her head. Josh crossed over and sat down next to her at an adjoining table with Matt, who was doing a poor job of containing his laughter. 

“I am so going to kill you.” Donna growled as he rubbed her back smiling to Matt. 

“Ah-ah, baby.” Josh said. “Don’t say that too loudly, I get secret service now.” 

TBC


	10. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

“Sam!” Donna exclaimed walking through the foyer, heading to the living room. Guests had been arriving for the housewarming party intermittently for the last hour. She briefly hugged Sam and welcomed his fiancé, Megan, to Washington and herded them towards the living room where most of the guests were gathered. 

“Secretary of Labor.” Matt said to Josh from the corner of the room. 

“That’ll be the day.” Josh replied. 

Donna moved Sam and his fiancé through the living room and into the kitchen, where more people were drinking and picking at food. 

“This place is massive!” Sam said awed as he took in the high ceilings in the kitchen. 

“Matt’s giving a tour later.” Donna informed. 

“Can’t wait.” 

“Secretary of Agriculture.” Matt said following Josh into the kitchen. 

“Not in this lifetime.” Josh said picking up the corkscrew off the counter and moving to the dining room. 

“What’s going on there?” Sam asked. 

“Matt’s been plying him with cabinet positions he wants.” Donna explained. “I don’t think he’s actually serious about it so much as he’s just trying to get Josh to destress a bit.” 

“He could certainly use it.” Sam agreed. 

“DONNATELLA!” 

“Ah, there’s a familiar bellow.” noted Sam as he, Donna and Megan followed the sound of Josh’s voice into the dining room. He was standing to the side of the mahogany table with the corkscrew in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. 

“Yes, baby?” she asked innocently, though she knew what was coming. 

“What the hell is this?” he demanded. 

“It’s a wine bottle and a corkscrew.” she said. 

“Don’t get cute. This!” he replied stamping his foot on the floor. Donna looked down and knew she couldn’t avoid it anymore. He’d obviously discovered the other rug came today. 

“The floor?” she asked sweetly. 

“Oh, shit.” said Matt. 

“I mean what’s covering the floor.” Josh said evenly. 

“Looks like a beautiful area rug to me, Joshua.” 

“A rug that wasn’t there when I went to work this morning.” he pointed out. 

“No, but it’s there now. You’re very clever.” 

“I can also read a calendar. It’s after Election Day.” 

“One of your many talents.” she said turning and fleeing the room, but he was in hot pursuit, as was the rest of the occupants of the dining room. 

“We had a deal, Donnatella.” he reminded. 

“That wasn’t a deal.” Donna replied as they moved through the kitchen, with the parade behind them. 

“Donna.” he warned. 

“It was already in the works, Josh.” Donna said as he followed her back to the living room. “What was I going say?” 

“Secretary of Defense.” Matt piped in. 

“I’m not putting a gay man head of the pentagon.” Josh said now opening the bottle of wine he was carrying. “I’ve got enough problems with Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell.” 

“You’re supposed to be a democrat.” Matt countered. 

“Donna, these are beautiful rugs!” CJ exclaimed moving in from the dining room back to the living room. “Where’d you get them?” 

“Afghanistan.” Josh, Donna and Matt chorused. CJ’s eyes grew wide and she turned and left the room and headed for the kitchen. 

“Secretary of the Interior.” Matt piped in. 

“It’s not that kind of interior.” Josh countered pulling the cork out of the bottle and filling up Matt’s glass, then he turned to Donna. “Get rid of it.” he ordered. Donna and Matt’s jaws dropped in unison. 

“Absolutely not.” she said. 

“You know, Josh, you never told me whether or not Amy accepted the President-Elect’s offer.” Sam said innocently. Donna’s jaw dropped further and she threw an accusatory glare at her husband. 

“Nice one, Sam!” Josh barked glaring at his friend. 

“Nice one, Sam!” Matt complimented glad that the subject was being diverted from the rug. 

“What position offered to Amy?” Donna demanded. 

“Uh-oh.” said Sam when he realized Josh hadn’t told Donna that yet. Josh turned around then quickly moved from the living room to the kitchen, now with Donna hot on his heels. 

“Joshua!” she called as she followed him through the kitchen where he stopped to pour himself a scotch. 

“Yes, baby?” he asked sweetly dropping ice in the glass and turning to her smiling. 

“You didn’t tell me you offered Amy a position in the new administration.” Donna hissed. 

“I didn’t offer her anything.” he defended moving back out of the kitchen and towards the dining room. 

“Who did?” she demanded again close behind him. 

“The President-Elect.” Josh said rounding the dining room table, weaving through people, and moving back through the kitchen, with Matt, Sam and Megan still following behind 

“And just what position was she offered?” Donna asked as they moved through the living room. Josh moved into the foyer where he made the tactical error of turning right, where he was now cornered by Donna in front of the door. 

“Director of Legislative Affairs.” he squeaked. 

“A position with which you’ll have to work closely with.” she seethed spinning on her heel and storming away from him, and of course, he gave chase. 

“Baby, it’s not my fault.” he pleaded. “I swear I was going to offer it to someone else!” 

“Me?” Matt chimed in. Josh turned around to glare at Matt who was following him, through the living and back into the kitchen, along with Sam and Megan, and then turned back to his incredibly pissed wife. 

“He totally did that without me knowing!” Josh continued. 

“You didn’t tell him what a *disaster* that’s going to be?” she asked. 

“I did!” This time, the chase went straight through the kitchen and out the back into the courtyard. Donna stopped in the middle of the courtyard and spun back around to face her husband. 

“What are you going to do about it?” she asked. 

“I don’t know.” he confessed. “I’m so completely screwed.” She huffed at him, brushed by him and back into the house. “What am I supposed to do?” he asked. “I can’t rescind the President-Elect’s offer! I’m going to have to watch it go up in flames!” They were back in the dining room now, where she finally stopped and turned to him. He sighed and looked up at her. 

“*I’ll* be Director of Leg. Affairs!” Matt announced, as if that solved everything. 

“You can keep the rug.” Josh said to Donna. 

“I would think!” she replied. She walked up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He closed his eyes and sighed into her hair. 

“Oh my God!” whispered Megan. “How does anyone keep up with them?” 

“You’re lucky we weren’t in the White House just now.” Sam replied. “This could have gone on all night with the ground they used to cover there!” 

TBC


	11. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

“THAT’S IT!” Josh shouted slamming down the phone in the den. Donna looked up from what she was reading startled. “I’ll be back.” She stood up and followed him as he stormed out of the den. 

“Where are you going?” Donna asked. She followed him into the kitchen as he hunted for his car keys. 

“I’m going over the White House and I’m putting CJ in a fucking headlock!” he announced. 

“Why?” 

“Because I’m tired of her yelling at me, that’s why.” Josh said. “She’s been yelling at me since she took that fucking job and I’m tired of her finding a way to blame everything on me.” 

“What now?” 

“It’s still the same stupid Kazakhstan shit. I don’t place the President-Elects phone calls, I don’t know who he’s fucking calling. It’s not my fault that CJ can’t get a fucking handle on what’s going on there. Yet, she’s somehow managing to blame me for it. She hasn’t been able to handle that job since she took it, and she’s been taking it out on me for almost two fucking years!” 

“Okay. Well, you really can’t go over there like this, baby.” Donna said calmly. She walked over to where he was leaning against the counter and put her hand lightly on his chest. 

“Why not?” he demanded. 

“Well, first, you’re pissed off and she’s your friend and you can’t say those things to her, which you will, if you go over there in his mood.” Donna said soothingly. “Second, if you put her in a headlock, you’re going to piss off the secret service, though I’m sure Margaret will get a kick out of watching it.” 

“Well, she always said I was like a brother to her. It’s high time she got treated like the nasty, annoying sister she’s turning out to be.”Donna wrapped her arms around his neck and he sighed. “You’re doing it again.” he said into her shoulder. 

“Doing what?” 

“Not letting me be pissed off.” he continued. “Sometimes, baby, I just want to be pissed off, I don’t want to calm down.” 

“Damn, I really have to stop doing this nurturing wife thing.” Donna deadpanned, pulling back and running a light hand down his cheek. “Oops! Shit, there I go again.” 

“Seriously.” he smiled. “I mean it. It’s okay for me to get mad once in a while. It’s a release.” 

“You get plenty mad at people when I’m not around, and I know it.” 

“No, I don’t.” 

“Really? Let’s talk about Otto.” 

“Who’s your spy?” 

“I’ll never tell.” 

“He’s been a pain in my ass since the election.” 

“Otto is 23 years old, and has no idea whether or not he’s going to have a job in a month. He’s got to pay his rent and his student loans, and he doesn’t know if he needs to be opening the want ads right now.” Donna explained. “And if he does need to be job hunting, he has no idea if the man he’s been idolizing these past few months will give him a decent recommendation.” 

“Someone feels pretty strongly about this.” Josh noted. 

“Somebody has been in Otto’s exact place before.” she reminded. 

“I just don’t understand why she keeps taking everything out on me.” Josh sighed leaning back against the counter again. “She used to be my friend, and now, seriously...I don’t know.” 

“Well, you’re right.” Donna said. “She never really did get a handle on that job. She did okay, but no one would take her seriously. It’s a men’s club and her only ally was Kate Harper, who wasn’t always on her side. Now, she’s jobless in a month and probably has no idea what she wants to do, she’s got no man, though I think Danny’s back in the picture, between you and me, and she’s probably just scared.” 

“And before?” 

“Before I think she bit off more than she could chew.” Donna said. “I think she didn’t want to let the President down by saying no, and then she didn’t know how to act around you and Toby.” 

“So, I’m not allowed to be pissed off at her?” 

“No, go ahead, be pissed off at her.” Donna said. “You just can’t go putting her in a headlock.” Donna paused and looked at him. He was so stressed out lately and on edge. She did all she could to make things easier on him, but everyone wanted a piece of him. She often wondered if this was what it was like for Leo, too, if he had to fight with absolutely everyone around him, and then she realized that was part of Josh’s problem. He thought he was going to be doing all this with Leo to guide him, but instead, he was doing it all on his own. He looked older since the election, and it reminded Donna again of just how much older than her he really was. 

“I’m just so worried about you, baby.” she said quietly. “I don’t want you to end up...” she broke off. She couldn’t say it. 

“Like Leo?” he asked quietly. “Baby, Leo drank for years, then went on a pill popping spree. That’ll weaken anybody.” 

“You were shot in the chest.” she reminded. “Leo also blatantly ignored his marriage.” 

“Something which I have absolutely not done.” he said raising his voice. 

“I know.” she nodded. 

“I got shot, Donna, there’s nothing I can do about that.” he shrugged. “It’s going to have the repercussions it has. I go to the gym every morning like you asked, I haven’t had a burnt burger in weeks, because you’ve asked There are just certain things that are out of our control. I’m as healthy as we can make me.” 

“I just get...desperate.” she whispered. His gaze softened as he saw the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “I’ve never had you entirely to myself. And if I have to wait until you’re done with this, I will. But, I’m just afraid that something’s going to happen before that time comes and I’ll have to live without you, and well, I can’t bear the thought of that. And you get up every morning and go to work, where you get over-stressed and wound up, and I spend almost all evening calming you down so you can sleep, and then the morning comes and the whole things starts again.” 

Shit, he hated when she got like this. She was freely crying now, and it was because of him. And every time she cried because of him, he vowed never to make her cry because of him again, and inevitably it happened again. Of course, this wasn’t actually his fault. She was crying because she was worried about him. Extremely worried about him, he was now discovering. Not only was she worried, but she was also scared. And that didn’t sit well with him at all. 

He pulled her back into his arms and she laid her head on his chest and he tightened his embrace. She said once that he always knew what to say to her, but he had no idea what to say to her now. These were scenarios she’d created in her head and there was nothing he could really do to fight them, but keep waking up every morning. She was always there for him. From the day she walked into his office, she took care of him. And he knew he wasn’t always there for her along the way, not the way she was for him. Their friends would say that clearly wasn’t true, but they’d be thinking about the big moments, and not the little things she did for him. He was more a taker than a giver, but she loved him anyway. That first morning they’d kissed, he knew he didn’t deserve her, but he was too damn selfish to let anyone else have her, and it was because of all those little things. When he’d come back home for good after the election, he knew that she’d secretly switched the coffee to decaf. It was part of her plan for him during transition, to force him to take care of himself. It took him a couple of days to realize it, but when he did, because it was important to her, he stopped drinking the caffeinated coffee at the office during the day, and just depended on the morning gym hour to wake him up and get him going. 

When they worked together at the White House, even before they got together, she always stayed until he left, no matter what time it was. She stayed until ridiculous hours, just to make sure he didn’t sleep at his desk. She’d practically moved in with him the summer he was recovering from being shot, never once pushing him to talk about the nightmares that plagued him, just holding him while he calmed down. Christ, she put up with Amy’s shit. And sometimes it seemed like Amy’s favorite past time was giving Donna a hard time. But the one thing that always got him was that diary. He finally found out exactly what made her lie about it. He had lashed out like he was pissed off about it, but the truth was, he just couldn’t believe the depth of her love for him. She’d once told him that if he was in an accident, she wouldn’t stop for red lights. Well, apparently, she wouldn’t stop for a Congressional investigation, either. Once again, she had proven that there were literally no lengths she wouldn’t go to for him. 

He stroked her hair and she began to calm down, until she just stood in his embrace and listened to the quiet rhythm of his heart. 

“Baby, let’s go away.” he said abruptly. 

“What?” she asked pulling away from him. 

“Let’s take a vacation.” he said. “Let’s get the hell out of here for a week.” 

“Really?” she asked wiping her eyes. “What about Ella?” 

“My mom will stay with her.” Josh assured. “You’re right, it’s never just us. I don’t want to lose sight of that. Just you and me. We’ll have a whole week to make a little brother for her.” Donna smiled and looked down as the tears started to well up again. “Is that a yes then? It’s a good idea?” She nodded and gave him a full smile and wrapped her arms around him again, crying through her laughter. 

“So, where do you want to go?” he asked. “We can go anywhere in the world you want.” 

“Where do you think I want to go?” she laughed drawing back. Her pounced on the opportunity of her mouth being so close to his and kissed her breathless. Pulling back, he whispered, “Aloha, Donnatella.” 

TBC


	12. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

There were moments, four years later, that Josh would look at Donna and still not believe she was really his. There were moments when he looked at her and wondered what on Earth he had done that was so good that she was his reward. Because there were moments four years ago that he would look at her and think he was just doomed to love her from afar for the rest of his life. This was one of those moments when he couldn’t believe his luck. 

She wasn’t doing anything particularly noteworthy, or at least anything that would make other people notice her. She was just sitting across from him in the hotel restaurant talking, and he was just listening. She told him about the book she was reading, about Ella’s last well-baby visit to the pediatrician, about how her brother and sister-in-law wanted to come out and watch the inauguration, how her car was making that weird noise again. She was keeping up a steady stream of chatter, flowing from one topic of conversation to the next. 

When he first met her, his first thought, well, okay, admittedly his first thought was that she was hot as hell, but his next thought after that was, my God, this girl can talk! At first, he thought she talked too much. She was always chattering away about something or other. And in the beginning, he had rolled his eyes when she told her crazy stories or gave him her inane trivia. But then one day on the first campaign, he was struck by brilliance, which he later realized was a direct result of one the things she had been prattling about earlier in the day. And that’s when he had first realized that she inspired him. Over the years, there would be more examples of what he called the “Donna inspiration,” the Antiquities Act, the economic plan, her mother’s cats on the Supreme Court. After that first instance of brilliance, he had learned to pay attention to her ramblings. He had always pretended to her that he found it annoying though. He couldn’t let on to his new, young assistant, or any of the other senior staff that she inspired him, though Donna outed him with the Supreme Court justices a few years ago in front of CJ, but by then it was okay because she was his wife. 

He noticed that a piece of hair had fallen down across her forehead, and he reached over and pushed it out of her face. She paused in her speaking, and gave him a soft, shy smile with a slight blush, before continuing on. He loved that he could still do that do to her; that there were intimate moments that like that made her blush, and those brought him back to his moments of wonder. Four years later, there were still times that he felt the same way he did that first week they got together; that first week where he was discovering what it was like to kiss her, touch her hair, make love to her, the sound of his name on her lips in the morning. Four years later and his breath still caught when she touched him unexpectantly, or gave him that look that he’d come to call her, I-can-see-right-through-to-your-soul-Josh-Lyman-and-I-like-what-I-see. The first time she’d given him that look was seven years ago when Lillianfield was going after Leo. That day, it had totally unnerved him. But then, she went to Leo with her concerns about his state of mental well being after the shooting and Leo had forced him to see Stanley. He saw that look that night in the emergency room, and he was completely exhilarated by it. 

When they first got to the White House, he realized he was dependent on her professionally. Those moments of brilliance didn’t come easy when she wasn’t around. The night Simon Donovan got shot, he realized he was dependent on her emotionally, too. Now, four years later, he was just completely dependent on her for everything. He didn’t want to think about where he would be right now if he didn’t have her. He suspected the same empty shell he was before she came along, dating women like Mandy or Amy and still operating under the delusion that women like that made him happy; that politics was all he needed to make him happy, when really, all he needed was Donna and he excelled at everything else. She joked with him that if she wasn’t around, he’d probably forget to eat. The funny thing was, he thought that is exactly the kind of thing that what would happen if she wasn’t around. He had quite literally conditioned himself to be hungry when she brought him food. 

He thought back to the night Ella was born. Donna was amazing. Oh she called him every name she could possibly think of, and told him that if he ever came near her again, she’d dismember vital parts of his body. But when the nurse handed them their daughter for the first time, she had cried and told him she loved him. Just those simple words, in that one moment, backed by the emotion she gave them was the absolute most precious moment of his life. It was so powerful, that he quite literally almost fell over. 

Her speaking had stopped, and she picked up her glass of wine to take a sip. Her eyes briefly flickered to something across the room, before coming back to him. 

“You’ve been awfully quiet tonight, Joshua.” she noted. 

He shrugged. “Maybe I finally got tired of the sound of my own voice.” 

“Really?” she smiled. “Has hell frozen over then?” 

She was making fun of him now and he smiled. Four years later, and they had never stopped the banter, never stopped the spontaneous witticisms that made them them. The spontaneous witticisms that probably created all the sexual tension in the beginning to begin with. 

“I’m glad to see you packed your mouth full of wise ass for the trip.” 

“Well, I need something to nibble on in between meals.” 

“Ooh, nice retort, baby.” he complimented. “I can’t immediately think of anything to combat that.” 

“Really?” she asked. “I would have thought you’d come back with something dirty.” 

“Oh, that definitely crossed my mind.” he assured. “But I was looking for something witty; I didn’t want to cop out.” 

“Ah.” She fell quiet again and looked at him, then tilted her head slightly. 

“Dance with me, Donnatella.” Josh invited nodding over to the dance floor. 

“Really?” she asked taking his offered hand and rising out of her chair. “This is a restaurant. You don’t usually like restaurant kind of dancing.” 

“Well, I admit to being a little spoiled with the state dinners and inaugural balls and all the fancy, frilly, DC events.” Josh said walking her the short distance to the dance floor where couples were already scattered. “But, I don’t know, this seems more personal. People look at us at those things, no one knows us here.” He pulled her into his arms and they began to gracefully move around the dance floor. “I can’t hold you as close at those things. People whisper about it.” 

“Well, if we got any closer right now, we’d have to get naked.” Donna informed. 

“I’m sure the manager would ask us to leave if we got naked on their dance floor.” Josh replied. “But I like where your mind is headed.” 

“Headed?” she smiled. “My mind’s *always* there.” 

“Is that a fact?” 

“It’s a fact that I spend most of my day thinking about being naked with you.” 

“Really?” It was his turn to be intrigued. “CJ always heralded your criminal mind.” 

“Well, she never knew that I also had the mind of a porn director.” 

“Okay.” Josh said breaking apart from her and pulling her off the dance floor. “Dinner’s over.” 

TBC


	13. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

“Holy shit, baby, that was so incredibly hot. Let’s go have sex now.” 

“Joshua!” 

“No, no! I’m totally turned on by that.” 

“It was a shot.” 

“A shot that you leaned over, licked the whipped cream off of, wrapped your mouth around it, then threw your head back, downed it in one gulp, and put it back down with your mouth, never touching it once.” 

“Well, that’s how it’s done.” 

“And it was hot as hell.” 

“Joshua, everything I do is hot as hell to you.” 

“Mmm, mostly.” 

“You just think it’s hot because it’s called a blow job.” 

“Well, I have to say it definitely peaked my interest when you called down to the bar and asked them to send a couple of blow jobs up to the room.” Josh said. “I can’t believe I’ve never seen you do that shot before. We’ve been to bars like a thousand times.” 

“Well, it’s a college girl’s shot.” Donna explained. “It’s not a shot that you exactly do around your co-workers, especially when your co-workers work in the White House.” 

“That’s bull shit and you know it.” Josh retorted. “Be honest, CJ’s seen it, right?” 

“Well...yes. She’s pretty good at them.” 

“You’re talking about the shot, right?” 

“Of course! How would I know the other one?” 

“So, what you should have said is it’s not a shot that you do around your male co-workers.” Josh amended. 

“Well, yes. I mean, can you imagine the look on Toby’s face if he saw me do that?” 

“All I’m saying, baby, is you could have had me years earlier if I’d seen you do that. I mean, that’s impressive stuff.” 

“I think I got their coffee table sticky.” Donna said pressing on the ring her shot glass had made. 

“This is a classy resort.” Josh waved dismissively. “They probably have a ton of coffee tables down in some coffee table storage room somewhere.” 

“Yeah, what’d you do? Run out and find the most expensive, classiest resort in all of Hawaii? Do I even want to know what this place costs?” 

“Hey, my baby wants a romantic Hawaiian vacation that she’s been waiting like 10 years for, then my baby gets a romantic Hawaiian vacation.” 

“Not ten years.” Donna said. “I think I’ve only been bugging you about it for like seven years.” 

“Whatever.” 

“But this place seems like it’s pretty pricey.” 

“Of course it’s pricey!” Josh replied. “But I’m not exactly lacking in the salary department here.” 

“And now, soon, neither will I be. First Lady to the Chief of Staff comes with quite a nice salary. Wait, is that my title?” 

“Sounds about right.” Josh nodded. “You’re going to be awesome at that, too. I’m glad you took it.” 

“Really? You think I’ll make a good First Lady?” 

“No, no, the other thing. The chief of staff part.” 

“Oh, right.” Donna said picking up her beer bottle and peering into it with one eye snapped shut. “So, wait. Does that mean you don’t think I’d make a good First Lady?” 

“Well, if you were First Lady, that would mean that I would be President.” Josh said. “And I don’t think I’d make a good President.” 

“Oh no, baby. You’d be the best President ever.” 

“Nah. I like being the other guy.” 

“Oh, right. You’re pretty good at being that guy.” 

“Think so?” Josh asked. 

“Oh hell yeah. You hardly ever screw up.” 

“Not according to Leo and the President.” 

“No, no.” Donna argued. “You don’t screw up that much, it’s just when you do, it’s pretty spectacular.” 

“Wait. Is that supposed to make me feel better?” 

“Umm, yeah. That was definitely supposed to make you feel better.” 

“Oh, okay then.” Josh said. “You’re so good at that.” 

“What?” 

“Making me feel better.” 

“Aw, baby, that’s so sweet.” 

“Yeah, but now they’re going to let me in the Situation Room. Screw ups could be disasterous.” 

“Isn’t there like 50 military guys in there?” 

“Mmm, I don’t think there’s quite 50 in there, baby. I mean it’s a pretty long table, but I don’t think there’s that many chairs.” Josh explained. 

“Ah.” she nodded. “I’ve never seen that room. Is it really dark? I picture it dark and smokey.” 

“They have lights.” Josh answered. 

“That’s good to know.” Donna said. “What about the red phone? Is the red phone in there?” 

“No. We don’t have a red phone anymore.” 

“There’s no red phone?” 

“No. They just use a regular phone.” 

“Hmm. I wonder where they put the old red phone.” 

“It’s probably in the basement somewhere.” Josh shrugged. 

“Hey, let’s do that on our first lunch together when we get back.” Donna said excitedly, smacking his leg a few times and moving to her knees. 

“What?” 

“Let’s go exploring and see if we can find the red phone.” 

“What are we going to do with it?” 

“We’ll put it in our house.” 

“Matt’ll get really pissed about that. I don’t know much about decorating, but I’m pretty sure the red phone doesn’t match the house.” Josh scowled. 

“But it does.” Donna argued. “That was JFK’s house and I bet he had the red phone in the Oval when he was there.” 

“You know, he just might have.” 

“So, let’s go looking for it.” 

“It’s probably at the Smithsonian, baby.” Josh said. 

“How do you know that?” 

“I have no idea.” Josh admitted. “I just don’t think they’ll let us in the storage rooms of the White House.” 

“Fine.” Donna pouted, but then she immediately perked up. “I bet I can get Helen to take me. We can go in under the guise of looking for stuff to put in the Residence and her office.” 

“Okay.” Josh nodded in agreement. “But just so you know, if you find the red phone and it winds up in Helen’s office, the President-Elect will probably get pissed about it.” 

“Would you be pissed at me?” 

“Oh no, baby.” Josh assured. “I’d never get pissed off at you for that.” 

“For stealing the official White House red phone out of the basement and putting it in the First Lady’s office?” Donna said. 

“Nah.” 

“I love you, baby. You’re so good to me.” 

“Well, that’s what I’m here for.” 

“Want another drink?” she asked. “I can call down for more blow jobs.” 

“I think we’ve both had enough to drink” Josh pulling her up to stand. The action made them both sway a bit. “But I like your idea about blow jobs.” 

“So you want me to call room service then?” 

“Not so much.” 

TBC


	14. 6 Minutes of Celebration Part Deux

Donna woke up the morning of the inauguration and rolled over to face her husband, who wasn’t there. She picked up her head and looked around the bedroom; he wasn’t anywhere to be found. Perplexed, she threw back the covers and wandered down to Ella’s room. She peeked in through the door and neither he nor Ella were in there. She wandered downstairs and found Josh asleep on the couch with Ella splayed across his chest with her mouth hanging open and an arm over her head. Giggling to herself, Donna padded over to the den and got her camera. Josh opened his eyes when the flash went off. 

“Well, that’ll be a flattering picture.” Donna whispered. 

“What time is it?” 

“6 o’clock.” Donna said. “What are you doing down here?” 

“She woke up last night; she had a fever and she was pretty cranky.” Josh yawned. 

“I didn’t hear her.” Donna frowned. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” 

“I was already up; I couldn’t sleep.” 

Donna reached over and felt Ella’s forehead. “She doesn’t feel warm now.” 

“I gave her Motrin.” Josh explained. 

“Really?” 

“She’s been teething.” he reminded his wife. “I listen when you speak, you know.” 

“Don’t be crabby.” Donna ordered removing their daughter carefully from his chest. “Go start coffee. Your mother will be here around 7:30.” Josh groaned and rolled off the couch as Donna went upstairs to return Ella to her crib. 

***** 

“You know, baby,” Donna began as they rode with the new President and First Lady in the motorcade back to the White House after the inauguration ceremony. “you’re getting your picture taken all day and in most of these pictures you’re going to have a cell phone stuck to your ear.” 

“I’m the chief of staff. People will think I’m working.” he retorted. 

“She’s fine.” 

“Who’s fine?” Santos asked. 

“Ella.” Donna said. 

“She was up most of the night with a fever and she was pretty cranky.” Josh explained. 

“Well, that explains *you* today.” Helen noted to Josh. 

“She’s been – wait, what?” Josh asked turning to the new First Lady. “Are you calling me cranky, ma’am?” 

“I thought I banned the ma’am-ing.” Helen said. 

“Well, just for that, I’m going to make a point of seeking you out and calling you it at least twice a day.” Josh threatened with a smirk. 

“I’ll have my secret service agents be on the look out for you.” Helen challenged. 

“They can fight with mine. We can have our own West Side Story scene right in the East Wing.” Josh quipped. 

“All right, children.” said Matt intervening. “We have some important things to talk about now.” 

“What’s going on, sir?” Josh asked. 

“Well, what happens now?” Matt asked. “We’re just going to walk into the West Wing and start working?” 

“Sort of.” Josh smiled. “That’s what we’re going to try to do. But what’s really going to happen in a lot of confusion and people wandering around aimlessly trying to figure out where their desk is.” 

“Oh, that’s comforting.” Helen nodded. “You shouldn’t have too hard a time, yours is the big, round room.” 

“Well, lucky for you two, Josh, Sam, Annabeth and I actually know our way around.” Donna smiled. 

“It’s just the rest of the 1300 people in the building that are going to get --” Josh began. 

“Blinded by the lights, baby?” Donna asked sweetly. 

“You’re a funny girl.” Josh smirked. 

“I’m missing an amusing Josh story here, aren’t I?” Matt asked. 

“Yes, sir.” Donna smiled. 

“It’s not that funny.” Josh replied. 

“Donna, make sure to tell my wife the story.” Matt ordered. “She’ll be sure to relay it to me later, and that way Josh and I have time to fight about other things today.” 

“Looking forward to it, sir.” Josh sighed as they pulled up to the doors of the West Wing. 

**** 

“Oh for crying out frigging loud.” Josh growled to Sam as they waited in Josh and Donna’s living room for Donna and Megan to emerge so they could leave for the balls. “This is getting ridiculous. This tuxedo has way more pieces to put on than a dress does and it doesn’t take me over an hour to get ready.” 

“Has the wait never not been worth it?” Sam countered. 

“Hey Cinderella!” Josh yelled from the bottom of the stairs. “We’ve got eight balls to go to tonight, thinking of joining us any time soon!?” 

“KEEP YOUR PANTS ON JOSHUA!” Donna yelled back. Josh smiled at the familiar order from his wife and turned back to Sam. 

“So sitting in your old office today was freaking me out a bit.” Sam confessed. 

“Oh yeah? I bet it wasn’t near as unnerving as sitting in Leo’s old office.” Josh replied. 

“No. I imagine it wouldn’t be.” Sam sympathized with his friend. 

“I spent most of the afternoon looking for reasons to go into the Oval Office. I went to Donna’s office twice today.” 

“I’m sure that will go away soon.” Sam said. “I mean, in between Leo and you, it was CJ’s office. In fact, it’s a completely different color now.” 

“Yeah, but it’s still unnerving.” Josh said. “I think it’s going to take a while to get used to.” 

“Megan’s completely freaked out about tonight.” Sam said. 

“Well, yeah.” Josh laughed. “Two months ago she was living in California and being a lawyer. Tonight she’s going to eight inaugural balls with the President of the United States and 1,000 other members of DC society. I imagine that would be pretty freaky for a woman.” 

“Donna’s been great though.” Sam said. “I know they’re taking forever up there, but I think it eased Megan’s nervousness a lot to talk to Donna.” 

“Well, Donna’s good like that.” Josh said smiling softly. “Besides, she’s already met Chris and Ginger, and Matt, and she got on with them famously. When she isn’t with you or Donna, I’m sure Ginger will help her out. Besides, Helen’s really nice. I’m sure Donna will bring her over to meet her.” 

“Helen will be standing next to her extremely intimidating husband all night.” Sam reminded. 

“He’s not that intimidating.” Josh laughed. “Were you intimidated by him?” 

“I’ve worked in government before. I’m used to meeting Presidents. Besides, President Santos is almost a full foot taller than Megan.” 

“She is kind of short.” Josh agreed. “Don’t worry about her though, Sam. She’s got Donna. Anyone with Donna in their corner is going to make it through just fine.” 

**** 

“Get off the phone, Joshua.” Donna ordered walking up to him at ball number four with two glasses of wine. 

“What makes you think I’m not on a call about the affairs of state?” Josh countered. 

“Because you’re not pissed off.” 

“Well, my mother said she’s running a fever again.” Josh informed. 

“I told your mom where the Motrin is.” Donna reminded. “She has both our cell phone numbers and she did have two kids, Josh.” 

“I know.” Josh said quietly. “I just feel bad about leaving her when she doesn’t feel good is all. She likes me to rock her and read to her at night.” 

“Yes, she does.” Donna smiled. “She certainly loves her Daddy time.” 

“Oh, shit.” said Josh moving Donna over behind a crowd. “There’s Amy again. She’s been trying to corner me all night.” 

“Want me to go over and kick her ass?” Donna asked. 

“You don’t think I can take Amy?” 

“That would be ungentlemanly of you.” 

“There’s someone in this room that thinks I’m a gentleman?” 

“I’m sure there’s someone in this room that doesn’t know you.” 

“Ha, ha.” 

“Here.” Donna said dropping their glasses on the tray of a passing waiter. “Let’s go dance. She hates seeing us all mushy; that’ll keep her away.” 

They moved into the crowd and when Donna found an open spot, she turned around and stepped into his arms. 

“How’s this?” she asked softly. 

“Well, I like this, but you lead me right next to two senators and a congressman who are out for my blood.” Josh noted quietly. 

“Ah. Well, I guess when I’m done with Amy, I’ll move on to them.” Donna smiled. When he returned her soft smile, she sighed and dropped her head to his shoulder and he wrapped his arms lightly around her waist. 

“He did good today.” Josh noted. 

“My feet are killing me.” 

“Leo’s office is freaking me out.” he confessed. 

“I know.” 

“How do you know?” 

“You had nothing else to do this afternoon than visit me twice?” she countered. 

“Fair point.” 

“CJ gave me a post-it note before she left that she kept in the top drawer. It said WWLD on it.” 

“WWLD?” Donna frowned. “What does that mean?” 

“What would Leo do.” Josh answered. “I guess it would help her when she was in a tight spot.” 

“Well, that’s stupid.” Donna said. 

“You don’t think it’ll do me any good? You’re the one that made that whole speech about Leo preparing me for this and all that.” 

“Well, I think it’ll help to an extent.” Donna agreed. “But Santos and Bartlet are two different men with two different approaches to the presidency, first of all. Secondly, you and Leo are two different men. Something that worked for Leo may not work for you. You’ve got different joint chiefs, a different staff, and a different president to deal with. Not to mention, Leo and President Bartlet were friends for a very long time; you and President Santos haven’t really known each other all that long. I just think that in the end, you’re just going to have to do what’s right for you anyway. You’re not an idiot, baby, you belong in that office. Trust yourself.” 

“Well, that was some pep talk.” Josh smiled after he took in what she said. 

“That’s my job, right?” 

“Did you find the red phone today?” 

“The snobby guy that runs the museum part said that they don’t have it.” Donna said pouting. 

“You actually went looking for it?” Josh laughed. 

“I thought it would be fun to call you from my office on the red phone.” Donna sighed. “I need something to occupy myself until the First Lady decides on an agenda.” 

“That you’ll have to meet with Amy on.” Josh reminded. 

“Yeah, picked me right up there, baby.” Donna joked. “I think you might need to referee that meeting.” 

“I’ll exile her to Guam if she comes near you.” he replied. 

“That’s sweet.” 

“Don’t worry about it; you’ll be great. Besides, let’s just enjoy tonight. Amy’s for tomorrow.” 

Donna brushed a kiss across his neck and placed her hand lightly over his heart. “Tomorrow.” 

THE END


End file.
